A man confessed to the police that he had stabbed his son-in-law four times after arming himself with a kitchen knife when he decided to face him.

Police Inspector Sandra Zammit said Raymond Mallia, 53, of Attard, told the police that he took a knife with him to confront Wesam Ghazzeddin who, he claimed, had been ill-treating his daughter.

Mr Zammit said that on the night before the incident, Mr Mallia had been at a wedding reception with his family. There, his daughter had an argument with her husband - the victim - over his drinking habits. The woman confided in her father that her husband was ill-treating her.

The following day, Mr Mallia went to his daughter's house to speak to Mr Ghazzeddin and a fight ensued during which Mr Ghazzeddin was stabbed twice in the stomach and twice in the back.

The officer added that in his statement to the police, Mr Mallia said that at first he had not accepted the fact that his daughter was dating a Libyan national but was then left with no choice but to accept him after they got married.

The accused told the police he took the knife with him because he was fed-up of seeing his daughter being beaten by her husband. Mr Ghazzeddin testified that after the wedding his father-in-law had phoned him, swearing and hurling abuse over the phone. His mother-in-law phoned him to warn him that her husband was on his way to his house to face him. "I could have easily taken the knife from him but I didn't because I wouldn't want to hurt him".

The case continues.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani presided over the sitting.

Police Inspector Sandra Zammit prosecuted.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio and Stephen Tonna Lowell were defence counsel. Lawyer Anġlu Farrugia appeared as parte civile.